LOW COST, COMPRESSED GAS FUEL STORAGE SYSTEM

• Main Authors: JOHN J. WOZNIAK, PAUL D. WIENHOLD, DALE B. TILLER
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.06.2006
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS INVEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OFTRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GASEXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS, IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; BLASTING; BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; COMBUSTION ENGINES; CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS,e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES,DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; CONVEYING; DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISEPROVIDED FOR; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED,LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HEATING; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; LIGHTING; LIQUID HANDLING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; OPENING, CLOSING; PACKAGES; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PIPES; STORING; STORING OF DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS; SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL, WITH COMBUSTIBLEMIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED ORSOLIDIFIED GASES; WEAPONS

A COMPRESSED GAS VEHICLE FUEL STORAGE SYSTEM (7) COMPRISED OF A PLURALITY OF COMPRESSED GAS PRESSURE CELL (30) SUPPORTED BY SHOCK-ABSORBING BUMPERS (21,22) POSITIONED WITHIN A LOW COST, SHAPE- CONFORMING CONTAINER (10).THE CONTAINER (10) IS DIMENSIONED RELATIVE TO THE COMPRESSED GAS PRESSURE CELLS (30) WHEREBY A RADIAL AIR GAP (26) SURROUNDS EACH COMPRESSED GAS PRESSURE CELL (30).THE RADIAL AIR GAP (26) ALLOWS PRESSURE-INDUCED EXPANSION OF THE PRESSURE CELLS (30) WITHOUT RESULTING IN THE APPLICATION OF PRESSURE TO ADJACENT PRESSURE CELLS (30) OR PHYSICAL PRESSURE TO THE CONTAINER (10).THE PRESSURE CELLS (30) ARE INTERCONNECTED BY A GAS CONTROL ASSEMBLY (40) INCLUDING A THERMALLY ACTIVATED PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICE (74), A MANUAL SAFETY SHUT-OFF VALVE (55), AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE FUEL STORAGE SYSTEM (7) TO A VEHICLE POWER SOURCE AND A REFUELING ADAPTER. THE GAS CONTROL ASSEMBLY (40) IS ENCLOSED BY A PROTECTIVE COVER (13) ATTACHED TO THE CONTAINER (10).THE SYSTEM IS ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE WITH STRAPS TO ENABLE THE CHASSIS (8) TO DEFORM AS INTENDED IN A HIGH-SPEED COLLISION.(FIG. 2)